John T. Barret with Mary Lamar Knight, sponsor of race, with his cake prize

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GEORGIA TECH FRESHMAN CROSS COUNTRY RUN; Grant Field, Saturday Afternoon, March 8, 1924. Won by John T. Barret, sophomore, Class of 1926. (He later dropped out of school and did not graduate until June, 1929.) Here we see the hero in all his glory, receiving at the hands of Miss Mary Lamar Knight, 104 Ginwood Place, Atlanta, Phone Hemlock 563 5-W, sponsor of the race, the winner's cake which Miss Knight prepared herself with her own white hands. Miss Knight, member of the Atlanta Junior League and Debutnat's Club, was far above this Yo-Ho from Crawford County, Arkansas, and was terrified when his Inspector 'Little Six" Carpenter, a member of Koseme, advised him later in the day that, not only must he address to Miss Knight a note of gratitude and appreciation for the delicious cake, but he must politely request a date of her. After a three day emotional struggle with his timidity around girls, Barret called Miss Knight for a date which she graciously granted to his great surprise. He rode her on the Ponce de Leon streetcar from her home to the Howard Theater and back, - something over two miles each way, - and after the show he provided her with light refreshments at a neighborhood drugstore. Throughout this social occasion Miss Knight was uniformly cordial, friendly, understanding and sympathetic. Feeling himself intruding into the true Royalty of Atlanta society, Barret did not ask Miss Knight for a second date, though she urged him to do so when he left her at her door. He even neglected to make any effort to kiss her goodnight. One of the Atlanta papers published a picture of our hero and Miss Knight in a group with Miss Catherine Cannady and Miss Corday Rice, also of the Atlanta Junior League and Debutant's Club.